


Home

by TeleporterZero



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe, BAMF Tifa Lockhart, Confessions, Crossover, Drama & Romance, F/F, Falling In Love, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, SOLDIER Tifa Lockhart, Tension, Tifa is a mess, but she is a mess around Aerith
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27106726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeleporterZero/pseuds/TeleporterZero
Summary: Valentine's day special chapter!Chapter 10: Dream a Little Dream of MeIn the middle of the raging war between Wutai and Shinra, 1st Class SOLDIER Tifa Lockhart finds respite in watching her favourite piano player Aerith Gainsborough whenever she can. Tifa could never muster up the courage to talk to her so she settles with stolen glances and shy smiles. But one fateful night they finally meet and feelings are made known, but war gets in the way.Will Tifa ever find her way back home to a certain Flower Girl?Story is loosely based on Laguna and Julia's story from Final Fantasy VIII but mostly just the part where Laguna meets her in Galbadia Hotel. The rest of the story, I just went hog-wild.This is what happens when you have a fatal case of LSS from listening to Eyes on Me.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Comments: 44
Kudos: 44





	1. Welcome to the Jungle

It was a sweltering afternoon as the members of AVALANCHE squad traversed through the sprawling Timber jungle. It was humid and the heat was suffocating. They were sweating like pigs underneath their uniforms. Dense undergrowth and moss-covered trees surrounded them at every turn. Ferns and grasses that were as tall as them grew wildly wherever it pleased and vines hung from trees like curtains. They were walking on a narrow, muddy path beside a still, deep green river and they were most likely to die from mosquito bites rather than from bullets or magic spells.

"Jessie, are you sure this is the right way?" a black-haired man asked with a huff. He had a deep crimson head tie and a faded silver earring hung from his right ear. He wore a uniform that consisted of a jet-black sleeveless turtle neck sweater, similarly coloured baggy pants and black, ankle-high leather boots. Dark steel armour covered both his shoulders and dark brown leather suspenders held a wide, black leather belt with the SOLDIER logo embossed on it. 

Jessie continued to trudge through the mud as if she heard nothing. She was a lithe girl who wore the same uniform as the man and also had a similarly coloured head tie. Dark brown bangs fell to the side of her face as her keen chocolate eyes scanned a large map on her hands.

"Mother of Shiva. Not again," the black-haired man said, thoroughly exasperated.

Jessie neatly folded the map and finally stopped to turn and look at them. She placed one hand on her hips and said, "Oh, come on! Where's your sense of adventure?"

A lean, raven-haired woman dressed in the same black uniform and black, tactical fingerless leather gloves closed her tired, garnet-coloured eyes and said, "It tragically died on the spot where Barret got shot in the leg, Jessie." She sighed out of weariness but also out of grief for the state she was in.

She was caked with dirt from head to toe and dried mud clung to her arms and pants. Her uniform was damp, torn and had holes in it as she dodged bullets, magic spells, axes and spears that intended to do her bodily harm. Her hair was limp and oily and her body was giving off a very offensive, pungent smell. She would literally kill for a shower.

Jessie pouted and said, "Oh, fine. We're not lost you know, Tifa. We just took”-- she spread her arms as if to showcase something magical --“the more scenic route."

"And by scenic, you mean more monsters?" said the man dryly.

"Can it, Biggs. It's the only route with surely no Wutian soldiers still skulking about." Jessie shot back.

"But isn't that like, why we're here? To fight the mighty Wutian army?" asked a large, plump man in the same black uniform and a red bandana between breaths. He carried on his back a gigantic, metal weapon that looked similar to an anchor but with a narrower and a more pointed end.

"Yeah. That's exactly what we've been doing, Wedge. For two fun-filled weeks," Jessie said sarcastically. "We've practically wiped out every Wutian soldier in this jungle. And now, I'm down to zero grenades, Barret's wounded and Biggs just used up his last cartridge on that stupid jellyfish-with-an-umbrella-on-its-head monster. I'm quite sure even Tifa's worn down pummelling Wutians and monsters for the past two weeks."

Tifa was indeed feeling the effects of non-stop fighting for two weeks. Her muscles were sore and throbbing, her knees were bruised and stung badly it buckled each time she blocked an attack. Her head felt like someone constantly hammered nails inside of it. 

"I can't argue with that, Jess. All the more reason for us to get going. I'm worried about Barret's leg," said Tifa. She walked towards the burly black man with a gun for an arm held up by Biggs and Wedge to check on his still bleeding leg. 

"Just grazed me is all. I'm gonna be fine, Teef," said Barret with a forced smile but his slight wince told her otherwise.

Tifa simply nodded at him and turned towards Jessie and said, "Lead us home then, Rasberry."

Jessie straightened her posture and put a fist to her heart as she proudly said, "Roger that, AVALANCHE squad leader, Lockhart!"

After a few more hours navigating through tall grass and trees with the occasional wild monster fights, they finally found the edge of the jungle which held their temporary base. A large, green tent was erected near the edge of the jungle and metal supply containers were stacked neatly outside. An army green utility vehicle was parked beside the tent where they loaded their gear. When they were ready to go, Jessie climbed on the driver's seat and started the engine.

"We're going home. Midgar, here we come! Choo choo!" Jessie stepped on the gas and drove them to the nearest SOLDIER base in the outskirts of Midgar.


	2. On the Road Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tifa meets an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit I've watched way too much Final Fantasy VII: Machinabridged that I couldn't help but reference it in this fic. Bonus points for anyone who could point out the references. Hope you enjoy it!

It was going to be a four-hour, non-stop drive from Timber Jungle to the nearest SOLDIER base. The ride was bumpy and hot but it was at least peaceful. It reminded Tifa of the times her father took her on his truck for a drive to the neighbouring village. She would roll down the window and let the cool, fresh mountain breeze hit her face while her father played old-timey tunes on the radio. Tifa smiled wistfully as the memory faded and Barret's gruff voice broke her from her reverie.

"Hey, Jessie," Barret suddenly said from the backseat.

Jessie turned to him and said, "Yeah?"

"Keep your eyes on the road, Jessie!" Biggs said loudly.

"The road goes straight for miles, Biggs," Jessie said, matter-of-factly.

"Next time, I'm driving!"

"If you drive, we'll be old by the time we reach our destination." 

"At least, we'll be alive," Biggs said dryly.

Jessie rolled her eyes and said, "Anyway, what's up, Barret?" She looked at him from the rearview mirror.

"That grenade you used in the ravine, was it a new one?" asked Barret.

Jessie visibly perked up from the driver seat and said, "Yeah it is! Good eye, boss! Did a little tweaking with my fire bombs before the mission and I figured I can enhance its effects by putting a wee bit of bomb core inside of it. It's like an adorable, mini Firaga now."

"Adorable mini Firaga?" Biggs stared at Jessie from the passenger seat as if she suddenly grew two heads. "It almost set half the jungle on fire, including us! We're lucky Tifa was packing a Water materia with her!" 

"No pain, no gain, Biggs!" Jessie said as she swerved the car to avoid a wild Chocobo crossing the road. "Besides, it saved us from a hairy situation didn't it? Those Wutians had us surrounded with no escape!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Jessie's kinda right, Biggs. It did save our asses back there," Tifa said with a weak laugh.

"See! Even Tifa agrees! The fire and dust gave us an opening to take them down while they were panicking," said Jessie proudly, she overtook an old pickup truck and waved at the old couple inside.

"Our mission was to take out the Wutian soldiers, not burn down the jungle, Jessie," Biggs said with a sigh.

"Potayto, Potahto," Jessie said as she waved one hand dismissively at Biggs. She honked the horn to scare off a few Hedgehog Pies that have gathered in the middle of the road.

"Sweet Shiva." Biggs muttered in defeat. He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're such a worry wart, Biggs. We came out fine, so cast a Blizzaga on your ass and chill!" said Jessie with a wide grin on her face.

Barret barked in laughter and said, "Yeah, you did save us back there, Jess. But I have to agree you could dial down the fire by a bit." He shifted on his seat and winced. "Once we're back in Midgar, you guys go ahead and have a drink. Put it on my tab. Y'all did a good job on this mission."

"Whoohoo! Free drink!" said Wedge happily.

Tifa smiled and was soon lulled to a dreamless sleep by the rocking of the vehicle. She reckoned about two hours have passed when she awoke and felt the vehicle halt to a stop in front of an enormous, white, steel gate.

A 3rd Class SOLDIER in navy blue uniform came out from a white booth and went towards their vehicle. He asked Jessie for her identification and she fished out her ID from her back pocket and gave it to him. 

"1st Class SOLDIER, Rasberry, Jessie," he said out loud before going back inside the booth to scan her ID for confirmation. The machine made a few beeping sounds and he went out once more and gave back her ID. 

"You back from a mission?" he asked. 

"Yeah. Back all the way from Timber jungle," Jessie said with a bright smile.

"Oh! The Timber army mission!" he said excitedly, "A lot of us in 3rd Class wanted to go on that mission since it was reported that Timber jungle was swarming with Wutian soldiers. Really could have used the extra experience."

"Oh, I'm sure there are still plenty of missions out there that you could get experience from," said Jessie.

"Yeah. Although, the Timber mission would have been ideal since it's a bit near and I'm familiar with the area."

"Don't worry, you didn't miss much. Besides, the weather was horrendous," Jessie groaned.

The SOLDIER chuckled and said, "Sucks to get sent there this time of the year, huh?"

"You have no idea," said Jessie as she shook her head.

"Around how many Wutian soldiers do you reckon was there? " he asked curiously.

Jessie tilted her head up slightly to the side and said, "Hmm. I'm not sure since I wasn't really counting. But for the last two weeks we were there we encountered a group of them every day."

"Must have been tough."

"Sort of. But they couldn't use their numbers against us since they were scattered in different parts of the jungle and they seemed to have no one commanding them," Jessie said.

Tifa tapped Jessie lightly on the shoulder and said "Jessie, we need to get Barret to the hospital."

"Oh, yeah! We have someone wounded here so we really need to get going. Nice chatting with you though!" Jessie said in a lively voice.

The SOLDIER signalled to another man inside a booth atop the wall and the gates slowly slid open. Jessie thanked him once more and drove the car past the gates. Inside the thick, concrete walls the SOLDIER fort was a vast area filled mostly with white structures made of steel and concrete. There were navy blue tents erected on the open field and large trucks carried SOLDIERs and supplies to different destinations. A gigantic, triangular, white building with rectangular windows stood seven floors tall in the centre of the base. Its three sides connected to the barracks and the canteen, the supply building and a large training hall both for virtual and physical training.

Jessie parked their vehicle near a long, white building with a red cross on its doors and roofs. Wedge and Biggs helped Barret down the vehicle and took him inside. Upon entering, two men in white uniform immediately took Barret and brought him to a clean bed near the end of the hall. They all stayed with Barret as they waited for a doctor to tend to him.

Tifa leaned on the wall near the foot of Barret's bed and noticed that the hospital was more crowded than usual. Almost all of the beds were occupied and a lot of doctors and nurses scurried about going from patient to patient. She could hear hacking coughs, groans of pain, and crying. The SOLDIER sleeping beside Barret was missing a left leg. The one across from him was vomiting non-stop probably because of poison. The whole place smelled of antiseptic, blood, vomit and grief. 

Not really surprising, Tifa thought. Shinra has been quite aggressive in the war lately. There were more ambushes and assaults against Wutai and SOLDIERs were sent off to missions twice more than usual.

About half an hour later, an auburn-haired doctor came and she took out the blood-soaked gauze covering Barret's leg wound and checked it. She took out a sterile cloth from the metal table beside her and cleaned the wound before she activated the Healing materia on her wrist. The green orb emitted a faint green light and the wound slowly closed after 15 minutes. The only thing left of the injury was a small scar that was still a bit red and swollen.

"Will he be fine?" asked Tifa.

"He'll be fine. Nothing a Healing materia and a couple days rest won’t fix," the doctor said with a bright smile, "That is, if he doesn't try and slip out from the hospital and make his injury worse like he did last time," she said, rolling her eyes at her patient.

"The squad needed me for that mission. I had to be there," Barret said in a defensive tone.

"Be there for what, exactly?" She raised an eyebrow and stared daggers at him, "Beat Wutian soldiers to death with a limp arm? I swear to Bahamut, Barret Wallace if you pull a stunt like that one more time I am going to cast Stop on you and make you stay an extra week in the recovery ward!"

"Yeah! Go tell him, Myrna!" Wedge said, fist held high in the air.

All the colour from Barret's face drained as he clutched the blanket nearer to his chest as if it would shield him from her wrath.

Tifa couldn't help but chuckle at their banter. "Good to know he'll pull through," she said, the knot in her chest finally uncoiled. "Thanks, Myrna. I'm glad you're here to help." She tapped Barret's shoulder lightly before she left the hospital with the others.

After reporting their mission to their superiors, they were given a few days off for successfully subduing the large group of Wutian soldiers that have occupied Timber jungle. As Tifa exited the triangular building, she thought of that shower she desperately needed when she saw a familiar spiky blond-haired man sharpening a large sword with a bored look in his eyes. 

"Cloud!" She exclaimed as she walked towards her childhood friend. 

"Hey, Tifa," Cloud said coolly. His blue eyes slightly widened in recognition upon seeing her approach. He put his sword aside then crossed his arms and said, "Back from a mission?" 

"Yeah. You?" asked Tifa, she stood beside him against some metal containers stacked together.

"Just killing time while waiting for a briefing. Everyone in your squad made it back?"

"Yeah. But Barret got injured. A group of Wutian soldiers ambushed us while we were crossing the river and he got shot in the leg," she said tiredly. 

"How is he?" Cloud asked, with a hint of concern in his eyes.

"He'll be fine, thankfully. Myrna's tending to him."

"I see. Glad to hear that. Your mission was still a success so, congrats," he said nonchalantly. 

"Thanks! Two weeks of nothing but nasty mosquito bites and crawling through mud and tall grass was hell though." She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose at the recollection.

Cloud snorted, "I bet. You sure look like you crawled through two weeks' worth of mud and tall grass."

"Oh God. I do, don't I?" she said, her face turned red at the realisation she was still caked in dirt and mud.

"Yeah," he said, matter-of-factly.

They both stood in silence for a couple of seconds before breaking into peals of laughter. Ever since they both made it into SOLDIER, they had been more relaxed and casual around each other. They sure have made it far ever since they promised one another seven years ago that they'd both make it in SOLDIER as they sat atop the water tower back in Nibelheim.

As their laughter died down, a booming voice from a distance called out to Cloud, "Yo, Cloud! Briefing in five!" A young man their age with spiky black hair and a cross scar on his left cheek peeked from behind a navy blue tent.

"Be there soon, Zack," said Cloud. He turned to Tifa once more and said, "Right. Nice catching up with you, Tifa. I'll see you around."

"Likewise, Cloud." 

As he was about to go, Tifa lightly grabbed his arm and said, "Hey, Cloud. Do me a solid and take care out there, 'kay?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled and said, "Yes, ma'am."


	3. I Bet You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tifa recalls the bet she made with Jessie before the Timber mission.

After a good night's rest and a highly necessary shower, Tifa now looked like an esteemed 1st Class SOLDIER instead of the walking mud sculpture that she was a couple of hours ago. The sun was already high up in the sky when she left the barracks. She heard her stomach grumble and decided she'd go grab some grub before looking for her friends. Upon arriving at the canteen, she spotted the trio chatting in the far corner of the room. 

"Hey, Thifa! Ohver 'ere!" Wedge called out with a mouth so full of bread that he choked immediately after he spoke. 

Tifa almost dropped her tray and was about to run towards Wedge to help him when Biggs slapped his hand on Wedge's back repeatedly to prevent him from completely choking and dying. He coughed up his half-masticated bread and gave Tifa a toothy grin and a two-thumbs up signalling that he was okay.

Tifa sighed in relief and her stomach grumbled once more. She took an apple, some bread and a bottle of water before making her way to them.

"Did you get a good night's rest, squad leader?" said Jessie in a teasing tone.

"It's only for the duration of Barret's injury, Jessie. He'll be back on his feet soon. I'm not taking his place or anything," Tifa said, she took a bite off of her apple.

"Oh, I know Tifa. Always so serious!" Jessie slapped her on the back and laughed shrilly.

"It's too early for your antics, Jessie. At least let the woman eat first," Biggs said. This earned him a kick to the foot by Jessie. "Hey!" he said loudly.

"Anywaaay. Seriously, did you have a good night's rest, Tifa?" Jessie asked again, suddenly serious.

"Uhmm…yeah. W- Why do you ask?" Tifa asked nervously. Jessie being serious did not bode well for her health and future.

"That's good. You're gonna need all your energy. 'Cause I haven't forgotten about our bet, Lockhart," said Jessie, a devilish smile on her lips.

Tifa choked violently on her apple as she remembered that darned bet they made before the Timber mission.

"Whoa! Easy there, Fenrir!" Jessie slapped her on the back just like Biggs did to Wedge earlier.

"You should chew your food thoroughly before you swallow," said Wedge sagely.

Tifa was blushing mad at the mere thought of what that bet entailed. Damn it! Why did I let Jessie egg me on to take on that bet? she thought. She knew Jessie was the superior marksman yet she still took the bait like a starved Chocobo.

"I-I...u-uh..." Tifa stammered.

"Uh-uh. No turning back on your word, Tifa! I won fair and square." Jessie wagged her index finger in front of her dumbstruck friend.

Tifa buried her face in her hands, she suddenly didn’t feel hungry anymore. "Oh shit." She muttered.

Once Jessie was thoroughly satisfied teasing Tifa, she turned to her other two friends and said, "So, do you guys have any plans once we get back to Midgar?" 

"I'm gonna visit the Leaf House tomorrow morning to bring some school supplies for the kids," Biggs said, he took a bite of his sandwich and added, "You guys wanna tag along?"

"Sure! I'll meet up with you in the station after I pick up Mister Smalls from the vet. He had a flu before we went on our last mission," said Wedge with a worried look on his face as he shoveled a spoonful of stew into his mouth.

Jessie put a hand to her chin and said, "Hmm. I guess I can spare some time in the morning. The play I want to watch won't start until 11 a.m. anyway." 

"What about you Tifa?" Biggs asked. "You gonna be in the Sector 7 slums?"

"Yeah. But I can go with you guys for a while and help you with stuff," Tifa said. "Maybe I can ask Barret if Marlene can tag along. She loves playing with the kids from the Leaf House."

"All right. Thanks guys," Biggs said gratefully.

"Great! Now that that's settled. Let's go grab a drink first at the Sector 5 top plate before we part ways tonight! It'll be a celebration for another successful mission!" Jessie said cheerfully.

"It doesn't feel right without Barret though." Tifa was genuinely sad that Barret couldn't come along but it was also a veiled attempt to weasel out of their bet. 

Jessie eyed her suspiciously then said, "Barret said so himself that we should celebrate! C'mon you guys! Live a little!"

"Well, I got nothing better to do once we arrive at Midgar tonight anyway," Biggs said.

"I wouldn't say no to a free drink!" said Wedge brightly.

They finished their meal and chatted a bit more. Later in the afternoon they visited Barret one more time before they got on the truck that was bound for Midgar. Tifa fidgeted restlessly the whole ride as Jessie gave her a smug, knowing smile every chance she got. She silently prayed for the truck to suddenly break down or for them to be suddenly called back for another mission. Hell, being ambushed by Wutian soldiers sounded a whole lot better than that damned bet of theirs.

An hour or two went by and no truck broke down, no recall orders were made and definitely no Wutian soldiers appeared to pluck her out of the predicament she was about to be in. Tifa closed her eyes as she suddenly felt nauseous. Oh, sweet Bahamut. What on earth did I get myself into? she thought. She sighed and recalled how she ended up having that bet with Jessie.

"Best of three. If I win, you're gonna do whatever I ask you to," Jessie said confidently. 

"That seems childish, Jessie," said Tifa, in between breaths as she performed her stretches for the day.

"You scared you'll lose to little old me, Teef?" the smaller girl said in a mocking voice.

"Yes, Jessie. Yes. I am very afraid of that," Tifa said dryly.

"C'mon. What's a little competition between friends?" 

"Nothing's 'a little' when it comes to you Jessie, so still no." 

Jessie frowned but not for long. A sly smile formed on her lips like someone just finished screwing a brand-new light bulb inside that devious little head of hers. 

"I'll give you two of my off days if you win."

Tifa suddenly stopped in the middle of her stretch. Two extra off days? She could certainly use those to go and fix some things up in that little side project of hers over in the Sector 7 slums.

Tifa raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "Is that even possible?"

"Uh...yeah?" Jessie said, not so confidently this time.

"I can arrange that," a gruff voice suddenly said out of nowhere.

Tifa turned around and saw that it was Barret. Turns out he was actually listening while fiddling with his gun arm. Jessie was literally smiling from ear to ear.

"Wha--you're in on this too, Barret?" Tifa asked incredulously. "And just how did you manage to rope Barret in on this, Jessie?"

Before Jessie could formulate a reply, Barret said, "No one roped anyone into anything. It's just that"-- he aimed his gun arm at the Gysahl greens 25 yards away from him and shot three of them in rapid succession off of the stool they were placed in-- "your aim could use a little practice. You can't always rely on your fists in this war, Teef," Barret said with a softness to his voice reminiscent of a father worried for his daughter.

Biggs whistled at Barret's display and Wedge nodded in agreement about Tifa's aim.

She put her arms up in defeat and said, "Alright, alright."

Jessie did a little clap and a jump but Tifa was not yet finished with the conditions of their bet.

"But you give me THREE of your off days if I win." She cracked her knuckles hoping to intimidate Jessie.

"Bring it on, Lockhart," said Jessie. She stretched her arms in front of her, completely unfazed by Tifa's attempt at intimidation.

Tifa lost gloriously, of course. She only managed to hit one and graze the other two targets while Jessie hit it all without breaking a sweat. She could still hear Jessie cackling in her head when a sudden jolt roused her from her recollection. She opened her eyes hoping that the truck had broken down but instead her eyes were greeted by the cold, green lights of Midgar.

Tifa was as still as a rock as her other fellow SOLDIERs got off the truck. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and she turned to see that it was Jessie's. 

"Time to pay up, Lockhart," said Jessie with a shit-eating grin on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: A wild Flower Girl appears!


	4. Yellow Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wild Flower Girl Appears!

The sun had already set when they arrived in the Sector 5 top plate. Jessie was walking around with a spring in her step, Biggs was smoking a cigarette and Wedge was buying what seemed some sort of kebab on some vendor on the street. Tifa ambled along the busy streets of the entertainment district which temporarily distracted her from the horror that's about to befall her soon. 

Various establishments lined up the streets such as vintage clothing shops, arcades, karaoke bars and various loud clubs. Barkers tried their best to entice customers to enter their establishments with promises of a good time, top-shelf booze and the best entertainment in the district. Tifa had to physically shove some of them away since some of them insisted a wee bit too much for her liking.

Bright neon signs greeted them at every turn that made Tifa's eyes sting. Delicate aromas from sweet to spicy to unknown assaulted her nostrils that made her stomach grumble. Different clubs offering a myriad of booze brought on different kinds of drunks as well: the usual puking in a street corner, crying fits and divining the impending apocalypse. She even saw one man who crawled towards a cab while laughing like a madman. But what took the cake was when she saw someone passionately making out with a lamp post. She was broken out of her literal drunk observation when she heard Jessie say something.

"Alright! How's about a drink?" asked Jessie.

"Yeah! Let's get smashed!" said Wedge, enthusiastic as ever.

"Fine by me," Biggs said as he stubbed his cigarette in a nearby trash can.

"Sure. Sounds like a plan." Tifa hastily agreed. She thought maybe if Jessie got drunk enough she'll forget about their stupid bet.

Jessie clapped her hands together and said, "Great! I know just the place!"

Soon enough, Tifa found herself in front of the last place she ever wanted to be tonight. Written in large, cursive display font in bright, golden lights read: LOVELESS BAR. Tifa's eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth was agape as she felt arms snake over her shoulders once more.

"You really think I'd forget about our bet, Fists?" said Jessie smugly.

Upon entering the bar, they were greeted by an intimidating but calm bald man in an all-black suit and dark sunglasses who asked for their IDs in a deep voice. Tifa was way too panicked to wonder how in Ifrit's flaming ass could this man see through those glasses in the dead of the night because seeing him in the entrance of the bar only meant one thing: The Flower Girl will definitely be here tonight.

Once they were past the bald man, they went down a spiral staircase covered in a crimson carpet. The brown lacquered hand rails were adorned with gold leaves and flowers entwining into each other and was supported by gold, swirly Victorian balusters. The main hall was painted maroon with gold, wooden flourishes and a similarly coloured carpet designed with gold arabesques covered the entire floor. A couple of very light aqua chiffon fabric hung from the ceiling. 

The bar was tucked in the little corner with various drinks and juices in dark wooden shelves while a myriad of drinking glasses hung from above. Tables had artificial candles powered by Mako that emitted a yellow light and indigo chairs and couches were arranged so that they all faced the slightly raised stage. A slightly scuffed but shiny, black grand piano with yellow flowers on top of it was in the middle of the stage. This old-world relic has enthralled the population of Midgar for years and counting. Midgar was a wealthy city but things from the old world got lost in the haze of progress. A grand piano was as rare as a golden Chocobo in Midgar but what was rarer was finding someone who can actually play it. 

"Welcome! Your usual table is ready!" a bubbly girl in a black tweed vest and skirt said in a perky voice.

Tifa blinked at her a few times. "What?" She blurted out, still in a daze.

"What's the holdup?" asked Jessie after she bumped into Biggs's back.

"No-nothing...I...I just need to go to the restroom," Tifa said. She turned around to go but then she felt someone tugging at her suspenders.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no! You're not going anywhere, Tifa Lockhart!" said Jessie, she had a vise grip on Tifa.

"Jessie, I really need to---"

"NO.TABLE.NOW," Jessie said as if she scolded a toddler. She narrowed her eyes at Tifa and pointed towards their table. Whatever reason Tifa was going to give her to get out of this bar went down the toilet.

It was a miracle that their table was still unclaimed since tonight was turning out to be a full house. Their ‘usual’ table was on the far corner of the bar. A bit far from the stage but it gave a nice view of the piano since no chairs or tables were in the way. 

It was an understatement to say that Tifa was panicking. Her heart was hammering wildly against her chest as they took their seats. Her eyes were busy scanning the room for possible exits that she didn't notice the waiter that has approached them and asked for their orders.

"Bomb Whiskey. Neat," Biggs said casually as he lit another cigarette.

Wedge took some nuts from the bowl and turned to the waiter with a smile and said, "A Kalm Dark Lager for me, please."

"A shot of Ifrit's Springs for yours truly," said Jessie cheerfully.

The waiter turned to Tifa and stood silently, patiently awaiting her order.

"She'll have a Cosmo Canyon. Thank you," Jessie said to the waiter and he finally left.

After a few minutes, their drinks came and Jessie leaned near Tifa's ear and whispered, "So, Tifa. You ready to make AVALANCHE squad proud? She should be making her appearance soon." 

As if on cue, the whole bar went silent as a regal woman started to slowly descend the spiral stairs. She had her long brown tresses in a braid and it was tied by a pink ribbon. Her long bangs framed her heart-shaped face perfectly and her almond shaped, emerald-coloured eyes had a sparkle to it that Tifa found irresistibly charming. Her rose red, Georgette fabric dress with a thigh-high slit flowed smoothly across the floor as she made her way to the grand piano. 

She placed a soft touch on the piano as if greeting an old friend and whispered something inaudible to it before she sat down on the black bench. Tifa didn't know she was holding her breath until a tightness in her chest reminded her to breathe. She couldn't help but stare and smile at her. It was probably the alcohol but she swears by Cloud's spiky blond hair that their eyes met for a fraction of a second.

The woman in red closed her eyes, touched the yellow flower tucked behind her ear and took a deep breath. Her fingers deftly flew over the keys and a soft, dulcet tune filled the air.

A yellow flower as usual, Tifa thought. 

The woman has earned the moniker 'The Flower Girl' since every time she would perform she had a yellow flower on her. It's said that she grows the flowers herself which is a miracle since almost nothing ever grows in Midgar anymore. Well, Tifa wouldn't really be surprised if she did indeed grow the flowers herself, she looked like a miracle from where she sat. Once Tifa listened to the music closely, she realised she didn't recognise it. A new song perhaps? she thought. 

"Oooh! Aerith is just so awesome. You should go for it, Tifa!" Wedge said encouragingly.

Biggs took a sip of his Bomb Whiskey and said, "You goin' for it tonight?"

"Yeah, go for it!" said Wedge, a tad too loudly that some of the bar patrons glowered at him and promptly shushed him. He deflated and mouthed a silent sorry to them.

Tifa took another sip of her drink that slightly burned her throat. "Wh-what? Go for what? Sh-she's clearly working!" She stammered as she waved one hand, clearly scandalised by their suggestions.

Jessie took a deep breath and downed her second shot which made her eyes close due to the infernal aftertaste of her drink. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and said, "Don't go back on your word, Tifa! Geez, I'm not even asking for much. Just go wave at her already!"

Tifa was contemplating on actually running away, she still could. She's counted six possible exits including the back door, a rarely used side door and four air vents. But a voice in her head that sounded a whole lot like a drunk, slurring Jessie was egging her on to actually go up and wave at Aerith. It's also possibly the rising alcohol level in her system that's making her actually consider doing it.

"Give me a break, Jess." She mumbled while she shyly glanced at the utterly charming piano player.

"This is literally a break!" Jessie roared at her, "You've been crushing on her for months now and you haven't even introduced yourself. Now, that's just rude!"

"I-I haven't been crushing on her! I just...I just like to listen to her play! She's very...good."

"Oh, she's very good all right. Very good at making you look like a lovestruck 13-year-old whose crush just passed her on the hall."

"W-what? That's not true! Besides, why would she even want to talk to me? I'm sure she has better things to do than to chat with a random SOLDIER," said Tifa, she blushed as she took another sip of her red drink.

"Oh.My.God.Tifa. I'm just asking you to say hi to her, not tell her your life story." Jessie sighed and shook her head. "You're lucky Barret's injured or he'd have shot the place up and shoved you face first towards her." 

Tifa sighed. She knew Jessie wouldn't stop bugging her until she did what she wanted. That and she would never let her live it down if she didn't honour their bet. So she downed the remaining half of her drink, slapped her face a few times, stood up and said, "Alright, Tifa you can do this! What could possibly go wrong anyway?" She reassured herself. "Do it just like Master Zangan taught you! Wait, what did he teach me again?" 

Jessie rolled her eyes and said, "Titan's giant ass, just go already!" She gave her a light shove and Tifa found herself walking towards someone she was running away from for months now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next few chapters with Aerith were a lot of fun to write. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I had fun writing it! Please leave a comment if you have any criticisms or would like to suggest anything. Stay safe everyone!


	5. Drumming Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tifa succeeds in doing the unthinkable and is rewarded for her gargantuan effort.

It was as if her legs were moving on its own as she walked with uneven steps towards the stage. Her heart was literally beating through her mouth, her hands were clammy and she was sweating ice. People started to stare at her as she neared the stage. The bald man from earlier was alerted by her approach and kept his eyes trained on her while the red-haired man beside him just smirked and continued to nurse his drink.

She shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot and stopped halfway out of fear that her legs would literally turn into jelly. She craned her neck back to her friends and saw Biggs raise his glass at her, Wedge gave her a two-thumbs up and Jessie's arms pushed forward in the air as she mouthed "GO!" repeatedly at her.

This gave her a little confidence boost and she started to sluggishly climb the small steps up to the stage. Her heart was thundering against her ribs so hard she feared she might have a heart attack. Just a few more steps and, "Uh-Oh." She must have said it quite loudly since Aerith looked up from the piano keys and stared at her with a slight tilt in her head. Both her eyebrows were raised and her mouth was slightly open.

"My leg's cramping up! Shit!" said Tifa, she screwed her eyes shut in pain. She bent towards her right leg as a sharp stabbing pain shot through the back of her knee. When she dared to look up, she saw a flash of concern in Aerith's eyes before she focused on the piano keys again to concentrate on her playing.

"Dammit. I guess I have no choice." She held her leg woefully and started to limp back to their table. But in a sudden alcohol-induced courage, she limped back up towards the front of the piano. As Aerith raised her head once more, their eyes met and Tifa raised her shaking left hand. 

"H-Hi," said Tifa nervously.

Aerith replied with a dazzling smile and Tifa was surprised she didn't spontaneously combust on the spot. 

As she hobbled back towards their table she heard someone say, "That's rough, buddy." Various other comments flooded her ears but she was still too dazed to pay attention to them. Once back at their table, she slumped down the couch with a thud and looked down at the carpet hoping she could crawl under it and stay there until everyone left or maybe even stay there forever.

Wedge slapped her back and said, "Mission successful, Tifa!"

"Wow. Just wow," said Jessie as she shook her head and clapped very slowly. 

"Oh, Shiva." Tifa buried her face in both hands.

"Well, that was...limp." Jessie guffawed. The alcohol was probably getting to her head.

"Gotta give her credit, Jess. She did as you asked in a full house." Biggs motioned towards the numerous entranced patrons with his free hand.

"Yeah, our popularity sure has gone up through the roof!" Jessie joked and downed another shot. Tifa was always astonished at how she could drink that thing straight up.

"Sure did. But I gotta admit that was pretty pitiful, Teef." Biggs chortled and took another sip of his drink. "I'd say you're about a -7 on the manliness scale."

"Good thing I'm not a man then," said Tifa with a deep sigh. She took a shot of Jessie's drink and the hellish burning in her throat made her forget about her hellish embarrassment for a few burning seconds. "She probably thinks I'm some sort of creep." 

"What? Nah. Preposterous," said Jessie sarcastically with a flourish of her hand.

"It kinda felt good to finally be able to say hi though," Tifa said with a shy but contented smile. She then placed both arms on her knees and continued to formulate ways on how she could successfully crawl under the carpet.

"Oh, shi-" Biggs sputtered out his drink.

"Aaahhh! You got some on my face, Biggs!" Wedge loudly complained. But he quickly stopped his grumbling and said, "Oh. Oooh."

"Teef, we're takin' off," Biggs said in a hurried voice.

"Huh? Buhh Y? A-" Before Jessie could finish her sentence, Biggs literally picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. Her loud, drunken protests faded into the distance as he rushed off like Ifrit set his ass on fire.

"Have fun, Tifa! You deserve it!" Wedge said cheerfully before he quickly followed Biggs through the back door she earlier considered taking as her escape route.

"He-Hey! What the hell? Don't leave me here!" She was about to run after them but before she could even take one step, another stabbing pain shot up her right leg which made her wince. She was able to do nothing but helplessly watch as her friends slowly disappeared through the bar's back door.

"Shit. Why'd they suddenly leave...?" Tifa muttered to herself. She was so flabbergasted that she didn't realise someone has approached their table. 

"May I?" a high-pitched voice asked from behind her.

Tifa sighed and her shoulders dropped as she said, "Oh yeah, sure. I was just about to le-" Her jaw almost hit the floor as she turned to look as to whom the voice belonged to. 

She was greeted with the smiling face of none other than Aerith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a lot of fun with this chapter. Props to Biggs, Wedge and Jessie for being the best mates ever. Next chapter coming later this week!


	6. How It Starts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerith says relax. Tifa does the opposite, of course.

"Hmm? You were just about to what now?" Aerith asked playfully, stepping closer towards Tifa.

Tifa stared at Aerith as though she had never seen her before. 

"I..aaa..." She opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, she made no sense like a goldfish too. This can't be happening! Tifa thought repeatedly like a broken record. Aerith gave her a cheeky grin and another bolt of pain shot through her leg. She instinctively leaned towards her right leg when she felt a warm, soft hand gently touch her arm. She looked up and saw Aerith with the same look of worry in her eyes.

"Are you alright? Should we go to the doctor to have that checked?" said Aerith, genuine concern in her voice.

"No-no-no-no need for that! It's uh...it's n-nothing," Tifa stammered. "P-please, sit down."

Aerith smiled again as she sat down across from her and said, "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Ah. N-no," she said nervously, her eyes looked everywhere but at Aerith.

Ifrit's flaming ass! It's really her! What should I do? What should I do? Barret? Biggs? Wedge? I need help! Even Jessie would be a heaven sent right about now. Holy shit! What should I say? Should I even say anything? Tifa thought. She blinked several times and covered her eyes with one hand. She was clearly panicking and Aerith couldn't help but giggle.

"You okay now?" Aerith asked, after seeing Tifa calm down a bit.

"Ah...yeah. Kind of." Tifa mentally patted herself on the back for making coherent sentences again. 

"How's your leg?" Aerith looked Tifa straight in the eyes but failed to as the other woman found the carpet more interesting to look at than her.

"L-Leg? Oh, yeah. This." She patted her knee a few times, "It's totally fine. I just...got a little nervous." She tittered.

Aerith cocked her head and said, "You were nervous?"

"I..uhmm..." She paused and found a loose thread of her uniform suddenly fascinating. "Y-Yeah," she said as she fidgeted restlessly on her seat.

"You can relax. There's no need to be nervous around me," the Flower Girl said sweetly. A few moments passed by and Aerith smoothed her dress and said, "So, I'm Aerith."

"Ah, yeah. Yes, you are," said Tifa dumbly.

Aerith let out a hearty laugh which jolted the SOLDIER out of her stupor.

"Oh! Oh yeah. Of course! Where are my manners?" Tifa said quickly. She rose from her seat, stood straight, cramping leg all but forgotten and put her hands behind her back and said, "1st Class SOLDIER, Tifa Lockhart."

"At ease, SOLDIER," Aerith said with a playful smile. She slowly stood up and leaned closer to Tifa just enough so she could hear her whisper, "Say, Tifa. I have a small problem only you can help with. Would you like to talk somewhere private? I have a room in the Icicle hotel."

Tifa's eyes went as wide as saucers. "In-In your room??" She almost yelled out.

Aerith quickly put a finger up to her plump, red lips signalling her to keep quiet about it as the whole bar seemed to have eyes and ears only for them. Tifa was still reeling when Aerith added, "Well, it's pretty hard to talk freely here with...you know..." She gestured with her hand at the crowd that has not so subtly gathered around them.

Tifa was utterly staggered. 

Aerith put her hands behind her back then leaned forward a little and said, "If you're not too busy with SOLDIER things, please come by. I've been wanting to speak with you."

Tifa blinked quickly several times and looked as if she had just run over an innocent Chocobo with a car. 

"You don't want to?" Aerith pouted. 

"Of...of course I do," said Tifa meekly as she once again discovered the use of her vocal cords. 

Good thing the Flower Girl was standing close to her or else she wouldn't have heard her reply. Aerith beamed at her as she took the yellow flower from her ear and tucked it in front of Tifa's uniform right above her wildly beating heart. 

"Then, I'll be on my way now. Ask for my room in the front desk, ok, Tifa?" said Aerith as she slowly walked backwards. "I'll be waiting for you." She added with a wink and sashayed towards the staircase while the bald man and the red-haired guy gently pushed people away to clear her path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last they talk! Tifa is just a bumbling mess around Aerith.


	7. Knock 123

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerith wants to talk and Tifa is a mess. As usual.

"I must be dreaming." 

Tifa pinched her cheeks again to confirm what she already knew. "Oh no. This isn't a dream." Her heart was beating loudly against her chest like a thrashing, wild Chocobo. Be still, be still. She'll probably be asleep by the time I get to her room and I can go back home and puke out the rest of the night, she thought as she put a hand against the flower Aerith gave her.

Her legs seem to have developed a will of its own tonight as she wasn't even consciously thinking of going to the Icicle hotel when she suddenly found herself in front of its big double doors in record time. She took a deep breath and pinched her cheeks once more and quietly said, "Aerith wants to talk to you. Don't fail her now, Tifa. Jessie always said that I'm too shy and reserved most of the time. But I won't screw this up. No, not tonight! Tonight's mission is to...well... uh...talk to Aerith?" Tifa's shoulders slumped at the realisation and again felt her resolve weaken. She was about to turn back when the huge double doors opened and a man in a white suit greeted her in a warm, booming voice.

"Welcome to the icicle Hotel!"

She had no choice but to step inside and her jaw dropped in awe at the place. It was all white with impeccable marble floors. There were large, golden, geometric windows spaced evenly on the walls and in the center of the floor was a giant gold snowflake carved in icy blue marble and a giant chandelier hung majestically above it. Gold, Ionic columns lined the lobby towards what she assumed was the front desk. After marveling at the architecture and design, she carefully made her way to the front desk. She made extra sure not to bump into any furniture or vases as she was sure a lifetime of working in SOLDIER wouldn't even cover a fraction of the cost. Once she reached the counter, she smiled at the young lady in a white silk suit.

"H-Hello," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hello and welcome! How may I help you, ma'am? Do you require a room?" the receptionist asked in a lively voice.

"I umm...Which is..." Her voice failed her as she a felt blush creep up her neck.

"Oh, could you possibly be Miss Tifa Lockhart?" the young lady asked patiently.

"Uh. Yeah?"

The receptionist gave her an approving smile and said, "We've been expecting you, Miss Lockhart. One of our staff will guide you to Miss Gainsborough's room."

A tall woman in the same white suit came and walked with Tifa to the giant elevator. She tapped her foot on the floor as her nervousness doubled in intensity with each floor they passed. When she couldn't take it anymore, she decided that small talk might help calm her nerves a bit.

"Do you escort a lot of people to Aerith's room?" Tifa asked the attendant.

"No, ma'am. The only people that usually come to visit her are Mr. Rhodea and her mother." The attendant turned her head to look at Tifa and smiled, "Despite her popularity and personality, Miss Gainsborough is a very private person."

"O-oh. I see. How long has she been staying here?"

"About three days now. She usually only stays here when she plays for two weeks straight at LOVELESS. But even when she's not here we reserve the Primrose suite for her." The attendant hesitated but then proceeded to fully face Tifa and asked, "If you don't mind me asking, are you her new bodyguard?"

"Oh. Well, I could be? Why do you ask?" said Tifa, bemused by the sudden question.

"Well, it’s just that lately, there have been more and more people who follow her around and some even have the gall to ask for her room number and demand to see her. Her two bodyguards have thrown more than five people out of the hotel in the last three days of her stay here." The attendant sighed, "Me and the rest of the staff love having Miss Gainsborough around but some of her admirers can be relentless. Having a SOLDIER as a bodyguard would surely make people think more than twice before bothering her."

"So that's what her small problem was!" Tifa thought out loud.

"I wouldn't really call it a small problem, but I hope having you around will make things better."

"I'll do my best," said Tifa, she gained a bit of confidence knowing that Aerith's problem was something she could help with.

As they continued to pass what seemed like near endless floors, Tifa thought of ways she could drive away unwanted attention from the Flower Girl. Good old intimidation was on the top of her list, bringing Barret along would surely help too. She even considered borrowing Cloud's gigantic sword for added effect. Before she could continue to rack her brains further, the elevator dinged and opened to show a pristine white hall lined with solid oak doors with intricate leaf carvings. 

"Room 277. Straight ahead. It's the room at the end of the hall. Have a pleasant night, Miss Lockhart," the woman said with a smile before she bowed and disappeared behind the elevator doors. 

Her legs felt like it was made of lead as she walked what seemed like the longest hallway of her life. The door at the end didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, she felt her head buzzing louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, she was right in front of room 277. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her trembling and clammy fist lingered in midair for a while out of fear that the door would burst into flames if she knocked on it. But the thought of helping Aerith with her “small problem” far outweighed her fear and her tragically frayed nerves. She knocked one, two, three times and waited for a couple of seconds which soon turned into a minute. Tifa didn't have the heart to knock once more because she thought Aerith might already be asleep and didn't want to disturb her. She felt simultaneously relieved and disappointed.

"Good night, sweet Flower Girl," she said sweetly before she started to walk away. She was about to step inside the elevator once more when she heard a door hastily open.

"Wait!" A voice yelled out breathlessly.

Tifa turned back and saw a familiar woman in a sleeveless, light pink sundress and black boots standing in the doorway. 

"A-Aerith?" said Tifa as she slowly walked towards the open door. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was something magical about the sight of her being framed in the doorway against the dim, yellow lights that made her breath hitch.

"The one and only," said Aerith, her eyes sparkled as she smiled broadly at her.

They stared silently at each other for a while before Aerith eventually asked her to come in. The room was lavish as expected. Various paintings of flowers hung on the wall, a thick coffee table with legs intricately designed with flowers was situated near a long, giant glass window with what Tifa could only assume held the view of the whole Sector 5 upper plate if she looked down upon it. A king size bed with white sheets and gold blankets lay in the center of the room where some thick books and sheet music were strewn about. The dress Aerith wore during her performance earlier hung on the corner of the room beside a large, metal staff. 

"Sorry, I wasn't able to open the door immediately. That dress is a pain to get out of," said Aerith apologetically.

"N-No need to apologise!" Tifa quickly responded, "Thanks for inviting me. And you... you look really good in that outfit." She added timidly, blush quickly coloured her cheeks as pink as Aerith's dress.

"Aww, aren't you just the sweetest!" Aerith teased. "Thanks, and to be honest, I should be the one thanking you for coming." She smiled. "Have a seat wherever you like."

It took a couple of seconds for Tifa to process what was offered and then she walked towards the gigantic window in which as she assumed earlier correctly, had the view of the whole Sector 5 top plate. Purple, blue, yellow and a myriad of other colours lit up tall buildings like shining beacons in the dark. The glow from the Mako Reactors coloured the sky a hazy green and vehicles went by in a blur down the bustling streets as the night sky wore the moon like a priceless jewel. 

"Wow," Tifa said in an awed voice.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Aerith chirped, suddenly beside Tifa. 

"Yeah." Tifa whispered. But it's not as pretty as you, she thought. 

Aerith turned towards her and bashfully looked down on the ground as she played idly with something invisible with her boots. 

"So..." Aerith began.

But before Aerith could continue, Tifa suddenly remembered her conversation with the attendant about Aerith’s “small problem” that’s been plaguing her these past few days. Her eyes hardened and her shoulders went stiff.

"So," Tifa said in a businesslike tone, "Who's been bothering you?" 

Aerith suddenly looked up at her and tilted her head to the side with a bemused expression. "Wow. I really like this intimidating energy of yours but I'm afraid I don't quite follow."

Tifa raised an eyebrow at her, "It's about your small problem? Is someone bothering you like stalking you or something?" Tifa clarified, she stood taller as her confidence grew. "Isn't that why you wanted to talk to me? I can make them go away if you want me to," she said menacingly as she theatrically cracked both her knuckles. 

Aerith's face went blank for a while then suddenly her eyes took on a mischievous glint. She took a step closer to Tifa and proceeded to slowly dust something invisible from her left shoulder. Goosebumps formed where her fingers lightly touched. In her seven years as a SOLDIER, Tifa thought she saw everything and that nothing can catch her off guard anymore. But this seemingly small, mundane act from this woman is demolishing all the walls she has put up for years with gracious ease. 

"Really? You can make them all go away?" Aerith said, in a slightly deeper tone.

"I-If they're bothering you then y-yeah," said Tifa nervously.

"So you'll be like, my bodyguard. Guarding my... body?" Aerith gazed at her with lidded eyes as she gradually inched closer to the ridiculously reddening SOLDIER. 

Tifa took a few steps back but soon felt the cold glass of the window hit her back practically blocking her retreat. Aerith was now so close to her that she could see the specks brown in her sparkling green eyes that reminded Tifa of early spring. She was quite sure she was as red as a tomato right now and quickly looked to the side. 

Aerith bit the side of her cheek to resist the urge to laugh. She held a hand to her mouth and her shoulders shook as she burst out laughing. 

"Oh, Tifa! Did you really think I invited you up here because I needed hired muscle?" said Aerith as she wiped tears from her eyes. "You certainly don't lack in the muscle department"--she lightly patted Tifa's bicep--"but no. That's not why I wanted to talk to you." She finally took a few steps back from the flustered SOLDIER and chuckled.

"R-Really? But I thought you wanted help to drive away people bothering you 'cause I'm a SOLDIER?" TIfa said weakly, blinking in confusion. 

"Yes, yes. I'm quite aware that you are a big, bad SOLDIER but you're not the only one capable of taking care of creeps. That's what Reno and Rude are for." She raised an index finger as she explained, "Besides, I know how to take care of myself, silly."

Tifa regained a sliver of her composure and said, "I... I’m sorry for assuming. It's just that... I become a nervous mess around umm...pretty people." She rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand.

"You think I'm pretty?" asked Aerith with a mischievous smile.

"E-everybody does." Tifa's face grew hot and she couldn't figure out where to put her hands.

"Is that why you always come to see me play so often?" Aerith hummed.

"W-what? No... I just...really like... to uh, listen to you play."

"So you don't think I'm pretty?" Aerith pouted.

"O-of course, I think you're pretty!" Tifa flailed her hands as if she was trying to float on water.

Aerith held both Tifa's hands to steady it then said, "Calm down, Tifa. I don't bite." She looked her in the eyes with a sly smile then added, "Unless you want me to."

"I … umm..." Tifa looked at their joined hands and was at a loss for words. "You...you saw me before tonight?" She sounded like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Why wouldn't I? You were always smiling while listening." She smiled gently and leaned close to gaze directly into Tifa's nervous eyes. "You have beautiful eyes. Like the sunset after a hot summer's day. They do look a bit scared right now though." She leaned back and put her hands behind her. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna take 'em out and put 'em in a jar like that crazy doctor Hojo did. I just want to talk, without that fear or nervousness in your eyes."

Tifa couldn't believe what she was hearing but her shoulders slackened and she relaxed a little. 

"Would you like a drink? The owner of Loveless gave me a bottle of Shinra Noir before I left." Aerith offered.

"Yeah. That sounds nice. I could really use a drink right about now." 

"That makes two of us."

"I truly must be dreaming." Tifa whispered to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late upload but I'm back on track now! Things are starting to get interesting for the SOLDIER girl and the Flower Girl. Tifa is just a hopeless mess. How long do you think she can hold on to what little composure she has left while she's with Aerith? Hope you all enjoy reading! :D


	8. I Believe In A Thing Called Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Flower Girl and the SOLDIER Girl get to know each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! Hope the dumpster fire of a year that is 2020 is all behind us now! Super late update since all the festivities and Cyberpunk 2077 drained all my time last December. Hope everyone is having a good year so far. Thanks for reading!

Tifa was still in awe about what was actually happening as she stood still near the window watching Aerith pour wine in their glasses. She handed her the glass with a sweet smile and their fingers briefly touched. It was as if she grazed a live wire and it made her whole body tremble. She wondered if Aerith felt it too.

She stood in front of her and took a sip of her wine, eyes never leaving Tifa as she did.

"Tifa." Aerith breathed, "How long have you been in SOLDIER?"

"A-about 7 years now." She sipped her drink and looked at the floor.

"Quite a long time now, I see. You must be an excellent SOLDIER being 1st Class and all."

"N-not really." Her ears quickly turned red. " Umm. How long have you been playing the piano?"

"Hmm. Ever since I can remember," said Aerith. "Do you like music?"

I like you, Tifa almost said. "Yeah. My mom used to play the piano when I was young. The music always calmed me down whenever I cried and I cried a lot." She chuckled.

"I can't imagine you being a crybaby," said Aerith with a chuckle. "Your mom played the piano?"

"Yeah." Tifa smiled wistfully. "She tried to teach me but I had the knack of always pressing all the wrong keys." The memory made her scratch the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I can teach you too, if you'd like. I'll make you sure you"-- Aerith leaned a bit closer and whispered-- "press all the right keys."

Tifa almost sputtered out her drink and she quickly covered her mouth as she coughed. Her face was completely red as Aerith roared with laughter.

"Oh, sorry, sorry! I just wanted to break the ice." She playfully swatted Tifa's arm. "But I'm serious about teaching you. If you're interested."

"Wha…really? Won't I be interfering with anything? You must be busy. I wouldn't want to impose."

"Oh, but I want you to impose." 

"I-I see. There's must be something I could do to repay you then."

"There's no need. Your company is enough payment," Aerith said with a wink.

"I insist. There must be something I could do in return," said Tifa stubbornly.

Aerith took another sip of her wine and the mischievous gears inside her head turned. "Hmm. Let's see..." She put one hand on her chin, "Gil surely wouldn't cut it. I could have you repair some stuff in my house but that would be boring... Oh, I know! I know just the thing only you can do for me."

Tifa waited with bated breath as she pondered what the Flower Girl meant.

"How about a kiss after every lesson?" Aerith said it so casually like it was the most normal thing to ask for.

CRACK!

The glass in Tifa's hand shattered into a million tiny pieces just like the sliver of composure she had left that she was desperately clinging on to.

"I...you...kiss...w-what?" Tifa's brain was utterly and completely stunned.

Aerith put down her glass and quickly took Tifa's left hand in both of hers.

"Oh, shit! Are you hurt?" She ran her thumbs across her palm to see if there were any cuts or bleeding. Tifa wished she wasn't wearing her gloves right now.

"I’m sorry, Tifa," she said as she continued to idly massage Tifa's palm with her thumbs. "I get a little carried away when I'm nervous."

"You're...you're nervous?" asked Tifa. She was deeply curious as to what could possibly make the upbeat and confident Aerith nervous.

"Very." 

"But why?"

"Ask yourself why you're nervous and you'll have the answer," said Aerith with a sheepish smile.

"Oh." 

Tifa finally looked Aerith in the eyes and it made her heart race a mile a minute. She was slightly flushed and had an expectant look on her face as she waited for Tifa's reply. 

"I…I don't know what to say..."

Aerith raised her eyebrows and frowned. "A girl just told you she likes you and you don't know what to say?"

"Like...me?" Tifa's eyes grew wide and her mouth went dry when she realised the meaning of what Aerith had just said. "N-no! I mean yes! I-I feel the same! I really, really, really, really like you!" Tifa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I really like you, Aerith." Her face was completely red but she looked the Flower Girl straight in the eyes.

Aerith chuckled and said, "Relax, Tifa! I was just razzing you. But it was really, really, really, really nice to finally hear you say it." She sat on the edge of the bed and tapped the space beside her signalling Tifa to sit.

"So now that that's out of the way. Let's start over, shall we?" 

They talked for hours while they sat at Aerith's bed without a care in the world. The wine bottle was half-empty and nearly forgotten as Tifa randomly talked about one topic after another. Aerith sat beside her and attentively listened with a broad smile on her face the entire time. 

"Yeah, I don't really like to fight but I don't know, I'm kinda good at it, I guess? I also get to travel and see stuff. Barret, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie and even my best friend Cloud are always with me, so it's kinda fun! We should go out drinking with the squad sometime. I think you'll like them especially Jessie! Whaddya say?" said Tifa with a wide grin on her face as she leaned back on the headboard of the bed. She was slightly flushed as she took another sip of her wine.

"Oh, I 'd absolutely love that!" Aerith replied eagerly.

"Awesome!" She drank the remaining half of her drink and continued to ramble. "You know, sometimes I also think that those Wutian soldiers have families and lives too. And uh...Yeah, one day I'll quit SOLDIER and open my own bar down in the Sector 7 slums! I'm gonna call it: Seventh Heaven! You know, cause Sector 7 and uh, hmm...heaven?" 

"Mm-hmm. That’s real witty Miss smarty pants." Aerith chortled as she pinched Tifa's cheeks.

"Then I'd get you to play your pretty piano on my bar 'cause you're really good and because I really love yo--" Tifa suddenly realised what she was about to say and stopped. Aerith didn't miss a beat though. 

"Hmm? You really love what now?" Aerith purred.

"I really love...your uh, hair." She coughed.

"My hair? I see," said Aerith with a smirk. "Go on then, flatter me and my glorious hair."

"Uhm. Well, it's nice, looks healthy and long...and shiny...and long. I want to...run my... uh, fingers through it."

"Huh. Great save, Miss 1st Class SOLDIER." Aerith poked her index finger playfully at Tifa's chest.

"Soooooo, like youknowthatdrinkfromLOVELESScalledCosmoCanyon?" said Tifa in an attempt to change the subject.

"Oh yes, I love that drink! A nice balance of bitterness and sweetness to it," Aerith said cheerfully.

"I'm the one that originally made it!" Tifa said proudly as she puffed out her chest. "It's really easy to make too! Just mix some Junon gin, sweet vermouth and some Kalmpari. Ya see, one night I showed that bartender Johnny how to make it and he liked it so much that he asked if he could sell it at the bar and I said okay and then BOOM! Instant best seller! Pretty cool, huh?"

Aerith put her head on Tifa's shoulder and quietly replied, "Yes. That is cool, Tifa. I'm happy for you."

A few more moments passed by between the two of them and Tifa has probably said more words to her than Biggs, Wedge and Jessie put together. There was a sort of warm, giddy ease Tifa felt around Aerith that she couldn't fully explain. The alcohol surely helped but she felt like she could talk to her for days and never get bored of her company.

"Then this Tankceratops monster shows up an' started to...oh...Yikes. I'm talking too much aren't I?" said Tifa, slightly embarrassed.

Aerith shook her head on Tifa's shoulder and said, "I'm greatly enjoying your stories, Tifa. It's like I'm in on your adventures myself."

"Aerith..." said Tifa, she dared to encircle her arm around the Flower Girl’s shoulder and was relieved when she felt her relax and didn't push her away.

"Yes?"

"Tell me. Tell me about yourself. Like your hopes and dreams in the past or for the future," Tifa said softly.

The alcohol probably loosened Aerith's tongue more than she thought as words slipped from her mouth much easier than usual. 

"Hmm. Well, I grew up in the Sector 5 slums before I ended up as a piano player here on the top plate. I was an actual flower girl back then." There was an ache in her chest at the recollection. "I wanted to open a flower shop just like my mom did down on the slums to give a sliver of joy and colour in this desolate city. I still do." Her eyes watered and her throat tightened as she fought back tears.

Tifa tightened her hold on her and she said, "Is it true that you grow your own flowers?"

"Well, sort of. There's this abandoned church in Sector 5 where they all grow. I like to think that I encourage their growth by visiting and talking to them regularly." Aerith chuckled and lifted her head from Tifa's shoulders to face her.

"Can I come visit it with you someday?" Tifa asked.

"Of course! It's a date." Aerith winked at her. 

Tifa immediately felt her face grow hot and she was sure it wasn't because of the wine.

"I didn't know you were from the slums."

"Yeah. It's not common knowledge but I lived there 'till I was 18. But maybe people just ignore that fact for the more glamorous aspects of my life. Everybody just knows me simply as Aerith the piano player or the Flower Girl and never as Aerith the slum girl.” She had a bittersweet smile on her lips as she sighed.

“Little did they know I got the nickname “Flower Girl” when I used to play a banged-up piano for the kids in the Leaf House when I delivered flowers there until Andrea came one day to listen.”

Tifa’s eyes widened at the mention of the name. "Andrea? You mean the Andrea Rhodea that's the owner of the Honeybee Inn and LOVELESS?"

"Yep. That Andrea."

"He recruited you personally?"

"Yeah. Is that weird?"

"I guess? It's just that I heard that it takes people years to get an appointment with him. For him to actually go out and see you himself, you're really something else, Aerith."

"Now, you're just flattering me."

"I try." Tifa chuckled. "What was he doing in the Sector 5 slums though?"

"Well, every Sunday I would always play for the kids at the Leaf House since they really enjoyed listening to the music I play. At first it was just them but not long after a bunch of people came to listen as well. And before I knew it I was playing for about 30 people. Word got around quickly that there was this flower girl who plays the piano in the orphanage and I guess that's how he got wind of it." She snuggled her head into Tifa's shoulder and idly drew random patterns on her chest as she continued her story.

"At first I thought he was recruiting me to be a Honeybee girl so I promptly refused when he asked me to come work for him," Aerith chuckled. "But then he said he was opening another establishment at the Sector 5 top plate and he needed a skilled piano player. Said it didn't hurt that I was pretty too."

"Wow. I guess all the rumours about his eye for beauty are true then," said Tifa truthfully.

"Flatterer," said Aerith with a slight blush.

"Just stating facts."

Aerith laughed and slapped Tifa's chest lightly then said, "But you know, I'm really thankful to Andrea not just because he picked me to play for him but because he took good care of me and my adoptive mom."

"Adoptive mom?"

"Yeah. My biological mom died in an accident when I was 9. She taught me everything she knew including how to play the piano."

"I'm sorry," said Tifa, she lightly rubbed Aerith's back to soothe her.

"Don't be. She's returned to the Planet." She closed her eyes. "I can still hear her voice...talking and teaching me whenever I have trouble playing something..." She trailed off thinking that she may have said too much. When Tifa didn't react, she said, "Do you...think that's weird?"

"Extremely." Tifa quickly responded.

Aerith sat back up to look Tifa in the face only to see a mischievous smile plastered on her lips.

"Oh my God! You're the worst!" Aerith crossed her arms and pouted as she leaned back on the bed.

Tifa guffawed and soon Aerith found herself laughing along with her. The thought that the SOLDIER would say she's off her rocker and reject her after finding out that she still heard her dead mother's voice was completely drowned out by the hearty and wholesome laughter they shared.


	9. Something About Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A promise is made.

“So, you don’t think I’m nuts?”

“No. Not at all,” said Tifa without hesitation. “You know, I’ve never told this to anyone but sometimes in battle when we’re really in trouble, I can hear my Mom’s voice telling me everything is going to be alright and it gives me the strength to fight on.”

“Your mom’s gone too?”

“Yeah. She died when I was eight. She got shot in a crossfire when some rogue Wutian soldiers tried to blow up the Mako reactor in our village.”

“I’m sorry,” said Aerith, she embraced Tifa. “Is that why you joined SOLDIER?”

“Yeah. Me and Cloud wanted to join SOLDIER even before it happened but I guess it just pushed me into actually joining. I didn’t want what happened to me happen to anyone else, so I signed up for SOLDIER a few days after my mom’s death.” She slightly grimaced as talking about her mother’s death still cut deep. “But now that I think about it, I’m probably worse than those soldiers that attacked our village.”

“Tifa…”

“I’ve killed brothers, sisters, fathers and probably even mothers too over the course of seven years. I feel like a hypocrite.”

“Don’t say that! You did what you thought was right. You followed your heart,” Aerith said with a soft smile. “All of us are able to live safely in Midgar because you protect us from invaders.”

“I... I’m sorry if I soured the mood. I’m sure that’s not something you want to hear on a fine night like this.”

Aerith caressed Tifa’s cheek and said, “Don’t be silly, TIfa. Tell me everything. I want to know you more.”

She clutched Aerith’s hand and said, “Thank you, Aerith. Most people think of us as ruthless fighting machines but we’re human too. But sometimes…I feel that maybe they’re right.”

“That’s not true. Your stories told me there’s more to you than just being a SOLDIER, Tifa.” She put her hand above Tifa’s heart. “You deeply care for your friends and you have dreams beyond the battlefield.”

“Dreams…beyond the battlefield?”

“Yes,” said Aerith. “Just like that bar you want to open in the Sector 7 slums and wanting to spend more time with your father. If you’re nothing but a ruthless fighting machine, such dreams would never cross your mind.”

Tifa gave out a bitter laugh, “The place I’m working on in the slums doesn’t even remotely resemble a bar. It looks more like a haunted house if I’m to be honest.”

“Still. You have a dream to look forward to after the war. You don’t just look towards the next battle, you look beyond it and…” 

“And?” asked Tifa.

“And I hope…that one day I’ll be part of those dreams,” said Aerith with an uncharacteristic shy smile and a slight blush.

“You..you already are,” said Tifa.”Every time we’re on a mission I can’t wait for it to be over so that I can come home and see you. For months I’ve dreamt of walking up to you to say hi.”

“Well, you did say hi. But it was more of like you limped towards me rather than walked.” Aerith teased.

They burst out in laughter and Aerith couldn’t help but smile as a warm, comfortable silence fell between them. 

“Where’s your father now?” asked Aerith, finally breaking the silence.

“He raises Chocobos and gives tours around Nibelheim.”

“Nibelheim? Is that your hometown?”

“Yeah.”

“Will you take me there someday for a tour too?”

“Of course! But there’s really nothing to see in there besides the mountains and it’s perpetually chilly.”

“Seeing mountains and nature. I think it’s nice. I’ve never been anywhere outside of Midgar.”

“Really? Well, it’s not as exciting as Midgar but I have to admit the Nibel mountains sure have its own charm. I’d love to take you there someday and show you around.” She grinned broadly at Aerith. “Then I’ll introduce you to Papa. He’ll be thrilled to meet you for sure!”

Aerith gave her a startled look and then she realized the implication of what she had just said.

She waved both hands in front of her and hastily said, “Oh shit—no! I didn’t mean it like that sort of introduction. I just—I mean we’re already there, so it will be inevitable to meet him…right?” She laughed nervously hoping she didn’t freak the Flower Girl about meeting her father.

“That was real smooth, TIfa,” said Aerith with a chuckle. “But I’d definitely love to meet your father someday. Soon I hope.”

“I-I hope so too,” said Tifa, relieved that Aerith wasn’t put off by her suggestion.

“Here.” Aerith untied the pink ribbon in her hair. “This used to be my Mom’s. She says hi.” She then tied the ribbon to Tifa’s right wrist. “There. Now, you’re acquainted with her.”

“Aerith, I can’t possibly take this. This is—”

The Flower Girl placed a finger atop Tifa’s lips to silence her.

“It’s my gift to you, TIfa. And Mom won’t take no for an answer.” She wagged her index finger for emphasis. “Think of it as a lucky charm to keep you safe. Oh, and this”—She leaned forward and planted a warm kiss on the Tifa’s cheek— “is for extra luck.”

TIfa’s eyes grew wide in shock and her whole face was ablaze in seconds. This must be a dream and I’ll wake up any second now, TIfa thought. Her heart could only take so much. She touched her cheek and Aerith grinned broadly at her as her hand trailed down her shoulder to her trembling hand. Yep, definitely a dream, she thought once more. She looked at the well-worn and slightly faded ribbon in her wrist. This must be very important to Aerith and she gave it to her.

“Aerith…Thank your Mom for me. Tell her I’ll keep it safe.”

“Oh, she knows. Keep it with you always so me and Mom can look after you.” She gave Tifa’s hand a strong squeeze.

“I will. It will never leave my side,” said Tifa. She put her hand over her chest to cement her promise. “Your mom must be so proud of you. You’ve made a name for yourself and you’re probably the best pianist in Midgar. She must have been a great teacher.”

“She was,” said Aerith brightly. “I don’t think I’ll ever be as good as her though.” She closed her eyes and sighed, “But for now, I… I want to sing. Not just play the piano but sing too. To give words to those beautiful melodies the piano makes. They long to be heard and understood too.”

Tifa perked up and said, “I’d love to hear you sing! I’m sure you’d be good at it.”

“But I can’t. My problem is that I’m no good at writing lyrics,” Aerith said with a frown.

“Hmm. That must be tough. But I’m sure you’ll find a way. I’m not good with words myself but I’ll help however I can!” said Tifa enthusiastically.

“You’ve already helped me lots, Tifa.” Aerith smiled sweetly. “My 1st Class SOLDIER.”

“Me?” Tifa asked incredulously.

“Thanks to you I may just actually come up with something. Your eyes alone have shown me a lot of things. Your various expressions while you watched me every time I play: a warm smile, a pout, a look of worry or sometimes even pain. You…make me feel things I don’t even fully understand yet myself.” She brushed Tifa’s bangs to the side with her fingers. “I think I can come up with a song.”

“I truly must be dreaming.” Tifa whispered to herself once more but Aerith heard it this time. She took Tifa’s hand and held it atop her chest. Her heart was beating like a drum against the SOLDIER’s hand.

“It’s not a dream, Tifa. It never was.”

Tifa’s trembling hand softly cupped Aerith’s cheek. Her head was throbbing and her fingertips were tingling as if electricity was coursing through it. Aerith’s warm breath smelt of wine and something alluringly sweet as she leaned closer to her. She slowly closed her eyes and their lips almost touched when a soft knock at the door broke their tender moment.

“Uhh…Tifa? You there?” a muffled male voice said through the door.

Tifa leaned back and disentangled herself begrudgingly from Aertih and headed towards the door. She slowly opened it and saw Biggs with a sheepish look on his face.

“Sorry, Teef. Just got new orders. We’re to head back to HQ on the double. Me and the others are waiting for you across the street.”

“I see. Got it. I’ll be down there soon. Just please, give me a minute,” said Tifa quietly.

“But we ha—”

“Please, Biggs.” Tifa pleaded.

“Gotcha,Teef.” Biggs’s dark eyes softened as he continued, “Go to her. Take all the time you need. We’re not going anywhere without you.” He smiled and lightly touched her shoulder before he left.

Tifa closed the door and saw Aerith slouched at the edge of the bed with a quiet downcast gaze. Her hair messily tumbled down to the floor and her hands gripped the sheets tightly.

“Aerith…”

“Will I see you again?” Aerith rose from the bed and brought their foreheads together.

Tifa tucked a stray lock of hair behind Aerith’s ear, kissed her hand twined in her own and said, “Of course! I have to hear you sing.”

“And you’ll have me play at your bar, right?”

“Of course.” Tifa kissed her forehead. “Then you’ll teach me how to play the piano every day, so I get to kiss you every day.”

“Promise me you’ll be back.”

“I’ll be back for you, my sweet Flower Girl. I always will. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Biggs has impeccable sense of timing, doesn’t he? Tifa can be cha-cha real smooth even for just a few seconds. Think she can keep her promise?


	10. Dream a Little Dream of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tifa receives an unexpected visitor on a day she almost forgot and is reminded just how beautiful this day could be.

Tifa opened her eyes and awoke to the tickle of something soft on her cheeks. She blinked a few times and saw the night sky littered with stars and the moon was shining proudly over them. She must have fallen asleep outside due to exhaustion. They have been guarding a convoy filled with materials for the Mako cannon from monsters and bandits for a whole day without rest. She closed her eyes again and heard the rhythmic flowing of water. She found it odd that she could hear the water clearly since all she heard in Junon harbour were the loud, booming horns of ships, the screeching of vehicles and the perpetual clanging of metal.

A soft breeze blew and the air was cool, light and invigorating. She took a deep breath and there was an earthy, sweet smell that pleasantly filled her nostrils as opposed to the salty and oily smell of the harbour. It made her doubt if she was actually still in Junon. Curiosity got the best of her and she decided to sit up and soon realized she was lying in a bed of yellow Lilies. She looked around and saw that she was in an unfamiliar yet mesmerizing place.

“I must be dreaming,” she said to herself as she scanned the place further.

The whole place was perfectly surrounded with tall rocks piled on top of each other that robustly protected it from the outside world. There was a waterfall vigorously flowing over a pond with azure waters and there was small structure in the distance. There were a number of terraces filled with Lilies, Foxtails and other colourful flowers she could not identify. The rustling of grass in the distance made her notice a familiar figure in a sleeveless, pink sundress standing in the distance gazing up at the stars. There was no mistaking who it was.

“Aerith?” said Tifa, her breath hitched in anticipation.

The figure turned slowly and said, “Hey there, sleepyhead.” She had a bright smile rivalling that of the moon.

“Is…is this real or am I dreaming?” said Tifa, she rubbed her eyes and pinched her cheeks to make sure she wasn’t just seeing things.

“What do you think? I don’t see why it couldn’t be both,” said Aerith with an enigmatic smile. She extended her hand and helped Tifa stand up.

“How? Where are we? Why are we here?” asked Tifa in rapid succession as she stood next to the Flower Girl.

“That’s quite the philosophical question you’re asking there,” said Aerith with a slight chuckle. “This is my home!” She spread her arms proudly. “Welcome!”

Tifa looked around and her jaw dropped in awe at the place once more. She couldn’t believe a place so beautiful could exist in the slums. “This is…wow. It’s breathtaking.”

“Thank you!” said Aerith enthusiastically. “Now as for your other questions. The ‘how’ I can’t really explain right now since we don’t have much time. But the ‘why’, that I can answer. Or better yet, I can show you.”

“I-I see,” said Tifa. “It’s so nice to see you again, Aerith.”

“The feeling is _very_ mutual,” said Aerith without hesitation.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been fine,” said Aerith, she tipped her head slightly to the side, “although, I have to admit I do miss you limping valiantly towards me.”

TIfa turned a deep shade of crimson at the remembrance. “Aerith I…I’m sorry,” said Tifa, her hands were balled into fists.

“Oh, don’t be! It was really cute!” said Aerith with a giggle.

“N-not for that! I mean, it’s been almost eight months and I haven’t been able to come see you,” said Tifa with a downcast gaze. “We’ve been sent on missions back to back and it’s everywhere but Midgar. I—”

Aerith put a finger atop Tifa’s lips to silence her. “I know, Tifa. All that matters is that you’re safe and that you’re here with me right now.” She put her hand above her chest. “Besides, I didn’t bring you all the way here to have you explain anything to me. You’re here because it’s a special day today.”

“Special day…?” asked Tifa, her eyebrows were raised out of curiosity.

“Do you know what day is it today?”

“Umm. Sunday?” said Tifa, she was bemused by the sudden question.

The flower girl let out a hearty laugh then said, “Correct! But that’s not what I meant, silly.” She took a step closer to Tifa. “It’s a very special day today. My flowers sold like free tickets to Gold Saucer on this occasion back when I was still peddling flowers in the slums.”

“All Souls’ Day?” answered Tifa innocently.

“Now, you’re just messing with me,” said Aerith with a pout.

Tifa suppressed a chuckle then said, “Sorry. I was just joking! I give up!” She raised both her hands as if to surrender. “What day is it today?”

“I’m glad you asked!” said Aerith, her eyes were twinkling in excitement. “It’s just a little day called...Valentine’s day!”

Aerith’s excitement and glee were so infectious Tifa couldn’t help but be excited herself even though she didn’t much care for this day in the past. “Oh! It’s today? We were so busy guarding that convoy in Junon it must have slipped my mind,” said Tifa, she scratched her head with her right hand.

“You kept it,” said Aerith with a warm smile that spread across her face like moonlight over a dark room. It made TIfa’s heart skip one too many beats.

Tifa wondered what she meant but then she saw her looking at her wrist where the ribbon she gave her was still tied. Aerith took her hand and gently stroked the pink ribbon in her wrist. This small action alone made the butterflies in her stomach dance wilder than a group of drunk people at an out of control rave party in Sector 6.

“I promised I would, didn’t I?” said Tifa, she was able to give a small, shy smile despite her knees slowly turning into jelly.

“Come on. We don’t have much time.” Aerith laced their fingers together and led her slowly to the wooden bridge in the middle. She would glance back at her subtly from time to time and it made Tifa’s heart flutter. Her hands were cold and her palms were sweating so bad she wanted to retract her hand from Aerith’s grasp out of embarrassment. Her heart was thumping forcefully against her chest like a pack of wild Chocobos were stampeding mercilessly inside it.

On the way to the bridge they passed a quaint, little cottage with a faded crimson roof. Its front porch was filled with planters containing various colourful flowers. Gigantic pipes overgrown with both weeds and grasses rose from the ground giving the place what Tifa called the ‘Midgar touch’. They stopped at the center of the bridge overlooking the pond near the waterfalls and fractured moonlight showed their reflections over the clear, calm waters. 

“It should start in a few minutes,” said Aerith with a lilt in her voice. She was looking up at the starry sky.

Tifa was broken out of her reverie and asked with genuine curiosity, “What will?”

“Wait and see! It would ruin the surprise if I tell you now.”

Tifa looked up at the open sky unobstructed by the suffocating metal plates, it was clear and peaceful. “There are no plates to obstruct the heavens over here. I didn’t know the moon could be this beautiful over Midgar,” said Tifa in an awed voice.

“The moon…” said Aerith with a pensive look. She kept gazing at the sky and said, “You know, every time I remember that there’s oceans and mountains between us, I look up at the moon and think to myself that you’re also looking up at it the same time as I am.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “That maybe you’re looking up at the same sky, at the same stars and making the same wish as I am.” She looked down to the side to hide her growing blush. “I know it sounds silly, but it makes me feel closer to you even by just a bit.”

Tifa had to hold on tightly to the wooden railings to prevent herself from crumbling to her knees because of what had just come out of the Flower Girl’s sweet lips.

“It’s not silly,” said Tifa quietly. She was trying so hard to stay calm but the slight quiver in her voice said otherwise. “Now that I know about it, I’ll look up at the sky every night and we’ll meet at the stars.”

“Promise?” said Aerith, she perked up and quickly regained her composure.

“You can count on me to be there even when the stars don’t shine,” said Tifa, surprisingly confident.

“I’ll hold y—”

A loud, booming sound suddenly exploded out of nowhere and Tifa’s SOLDIER instincts instantly took over.

“ _WATCH OUT_!” yelled Tifa as she took Aerith in her arms and shielded her with her body. A few more high-pitched, piercing sounds split the air and after a few seconds the night sky was illuminated by different colours like a painter’s palette.

“Wha— _Fireworks_!” exclaimed Tifa.

“ _Yes_!” was Aerith’s enthusiastic reply. “I’m sorry, I forgot you’re a SOLDIER.” She laughed against Tifa’s chest. “You sure have a tight grip. I like it!”

Tifa’s eyes grew wide and her face quickly turned crimson as she realized that she still held Aerith tightly in her arms and immediately let her go. The Flower Girl visibly pouted at this.

“S-sorry! I didn’t mean to…to hold you. It’s just a force of habit,” said Tifa hastily.

“That’s surely a habit I wouldn’t mind you keeping.” Aerith winked at her as she linked her arm around Tifa’s and brushed her bare shoulder lightly against hers.

TIfa stiffened and felt the hairs on her arm stand where their arms were linked. She winced slightly as an all too familiar stabbing pain at the back of her right knee started to intensify. _Sweet, suffering Titan! Not now!_ she thought. She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths and willed with all her might for the pins and needles to go away. It seemed to do the trick as she felt the pain subside. She thanked whatever gods were listening since dream or not, limping in this situation was simply unacceptable.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like it?” asked Aerith with a worried look in her eyes. She clearly noticed her companion’s furrowed brows and deep frown.

Tifa snapped out of her stupor and said, “This is amazing, Aerith! Where are they coming from? Is this your doing as well?”

“I wish it was, but no. I mean yes, most of this is my doing but this one isn’t me,” said Aerith. “There’s an old couple here who celebrates Valentine’s every year by launching fireworks. They say it’s their way of celebrating their long years together. Couples over here in Sector 5 wait for this display every year”-- she leaned close to Tifa’s ear and whispered-- “and they all say kissing under it is a thousand times better and more effective than kissing under a mistletoe.”

“I-I see,” said Tifa nervously. She suddenly found it hard to swallow. Knowing Aerith, she was probably just teasing her and she shouldn’t read too much into it.

She looked up and watched as the fireworks whirled in a spiral and exploded into a dazzling shower of silver and orange shower. Another coiled up and exploded into several pink and scarlet hearts. A few seconds passed and another shot straight up into the sky and shattered into a thousand tiny, yellow sparks that slowly fell over them like fireflies. Aerith’s eyes sparkled and crinkled as she smiled at Tifa as bright as the fireworks in the sky. She held and squeezed her hand out of pure delight. Her warm, soft yet firm hand fit perfectly over Tifa’s cold and calloused one.

She smiled back and relished the fact that this time, it was only the two of them. The war can’t reach them here. There were no missions, no orders and no Biggs to interrupt them. It was only Aerith that mattered. She couldn’t care less if this was a dream or not. This moment could be the first and last that they shared and she wouldn’t let this pass by without letting her feelings be known.

She brushed Aerith’s silky hair to the side of her face and gently caressed her warm cheek. Aerith locked her eyes with hers and she felt her lean to her touch. She couldn’t fathom where she’s getting her newfound courage from but she couldn’t care less about that right now. Everything just felt natural when she’s with her. Her mind kept telling her to stop but her heart was having none of it. The drumming of her heart beat faster and faster and louder than the fireworks as Aerith started to lean closer, her eyes slowly closing and lips slightly parting.

There’s no turning back now. She knew that if she gave in, she would completely and utterly fall for Aerith and that doesn’t sound so bad at all.

The lights and crackling of the fireworks faded into the distance as she closed her eyes and let herself be swept by the moment. Her mouth was met with soft, silken lips that sent shivers up and down her spine. There was a faint taste of strawberries in her lips and the heat of her breath was intoxicating it made her head buzz. Her soft skin against hers was electrifying like a fierce lightning strike that made her whole body tremble. It was maddening. All her fears, hesitations and reservations melted into nothingness as they breathed each other in and their fingers softly curled around each other’s hands.

All this time she felt like she was holding her breath underwater, but now she can finally breathe and it was Aerith who filled her lungs with air. It was at this very moment she knew that she was the one person she always wanted to come home to.

Tifa was panting and butterflies still danced wildly in her stomach as they parted for air and she rested her forehead against hers. The moment felt like it lasted for an eternity but it still ended too soon.

“I’ve wanted to do that ever since that night you left,” said Aerith, her cheeks were pink as she put her arms around Tifa’s neck.

“I’ve wanted to do that ever since I first laid eyes on you,” said Tifa in between breaths.

This earned an electrifying smile from the Flower Girl and she kissed Tifa gently on the lips once more.

“Hold me close…” Aerith breathed, “don’t let me go.”

Tifa held her tighter and kissed her forehead, “I won’t. Never.”

They remained tangled together for a few more moments until the fireworks eventually stopped and only the moon and the stars were illuminating the night sky. They cherished each other’s warmth and company in silence as they held onto each other until dawn’s first light was upon them.

“It’s time…” said Aerith mournfully. She kissed Tifa gently on the cheek and then said in a breathy voice, “Give me a real kiss when you return home then we’ll do everything that naturally comes after it.” She had a mischievous, satisfied smile as Tifa blushed madly like a ripe tomato. “I’ll be missing you, my 1st Class SOLDIER. Come home soon.”

“I will, my sweet Flower Girl,” Tifa hopefully said. She embraced her tightly one last time until she was grasping at air as Aerith slowly faded into thin streaks of green light.

“Sweet dreams, Tifa.” Aerith’s lively voice echoed in her ears.

Tifa awoke with a wide smile. Whether it was a dream or not hardly mattered at all as she touched her mouth and still felt the warm sensation of Aerith’s lips over hers. Her heart was still thumping madly against her ribs.

“Tifa?” a small voice from the other end of the room called out to her. She sat up and saw Jessie sitting at the bed with her eyebrows raised as high as muscular limitations would allow them to.

“What are you smiling about this late at night? Good dream?” asked Jessie while taking off her socks.

“The best,” she said with a wide, toothy grin. She felt something warm and woolen hit her face and saw Jessie’s sock tumbling down her chest. “Jessie, that’s gross.” Hummed Tifa. She couldn’t stop her lips from curving into another gargantuan smile.

“What’s gross is that creepy, giddy smile of yours,” said Jessie sarcastically. “But what’s even more gross is you not telling me what brought on this smile galore of yours.” She crossed her arms then said, “Come on, Lockhart! _Spill!_ ”

Her face immediately grew hot and her throat went dry. She held the back of her neck and her eyes darted to the side to hide from Jessie’s curious gaze. How could she possibly tell Jessie something like _that?_

“OH! Ohohohohoho!” Jessie clapped her hands repeatedly as she cackled with laughter. “I know that look! It’s about _her_ isn’t it?”

“Pipe down, Jess! You might wake the others.” She chastised her in a pathetic attempt at avoiding the question.

“Aha! So it _IS_ about her!” said Jessie triumphantly while pointing an index finger at her. “Don’t worry, Teef. I won’t ask what it was about. I’m not that heartless,” said Jessie with a smirk. She finally settled on her bed and pulled the blanket over her. “Night! Dream a little more for the rest of us, will ya?”

She smiled at her friend and quietly said, “Night, Jess.”

She closed her eyes and hoped sleep would bring more dreams about a certain Flower Girl that she loved dearly. But even if her sleep would forever be dreamless, she wouldn’t really mind as this one dream was worth more than a lifetime of sweet dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you enjoyed this not-so-short but hopefully sweet chapter! I have to admit I enjoyed writing this chapter way too much than I thought I would. I even made a playlist filled with what I consider love songs to get in the mood for this one.haha. There's a shit tonne of fluff in this chapter but I'm hoping it was able to make someone's day a wee bit brighter. See you all on the next chapter!


End file.
